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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/23868787">work together</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/itsmylifekay/pseuds/itsmylifekay'>itsmylifekay</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>work [5]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>9-1-1 (TV)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Everything is Beautiful and Nothing Hurts, M/M, Marriage Proposal, those found family feels</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-04-27</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-04-27</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-02 23:41:07</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Not Rated</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,878</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/23868787</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/itsmylifekay/pseuds/itsmylifekay</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Eddie has known for a while that Buck is it. That he’s the next step in Eddie’s life and one that he’s already mostly taken, it’s just a matter of making it official. The little velvet box in his hand feels so innocuous, but it makes his chest tighten each time he glances down.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Evan “Buck” Buckley/Eddie Diaz (9-1-1 TV)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>work [5]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1540276</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>29</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>678</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>work together</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>sorry this took forever</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Sitting on his bed, Eddie takes a look around the room, at all the ways it’s become <em>their </em>room. Buck’s clothes are in his closet. His socks are next to Eddie’s in a drawer. There’s a book about natural disasters on the bedside table.</p>
<p>He knows if he walks into the bathroom, he’d find a container of Buck’s pomade. He’d find an extra toothbrush beside his own. The kitchen has food he didn’t cook and snacks he didn’t buy. The living room more often than not has Buck’s shoes kicked off beside the couch. Everywhere he looks, Buck is there.</p>
<p>Even Christopher has accumulated a collection of nick knacks and toys from Buck, and even a few picture books so he can read with Buck before bed.</p>
<p>Eddie has known for a while that Buck is <em>it</em>. That he’s the next step in Eddie’s life and one that he’s already mostly taken, it’s just a matter of making it official<em>. </em>The little velvet box in his hand feels so innocuous, but it makes his chest tighten each time he glances down.</p>
<p>He knows he’s ready, but is Buck? He’s not that much younger than Eddie, but there is a decent gap. Buck could have anyone. He doesn’t have to be with Eddie, who’s already been married, who already has a kid, who comes with so much baggage and anger from the war and just from <em>life. </em>But, somehow, he’s stuck around. He’s decided Eddie is worth it.</p>
<p>But is he worth <em>this</em>?</p>
<p>He looks down at the box again, opens it up to stare at the ring.</p>
<p>Is he worth forever?</p>
<p>There’s only one way to find out and honestly, he knows most of these insecurities are unfounded. Buck has proven time and time again that he loves Eddie for everything he is. He loves Christopher, loves the little family they make no matter what it took for them to get here.</p>
<p>He knows, logically, that Buck is going to say yes.</p>
<p>He still feels a little nervous anyway.</p>
<p>Later that evening, once Chris is home from school and Buck is on shift at the station, he sits down on the couch and mutes the TV when it goes to commercial. Chris turns to look up at him immediately.</p>
<p>He must catch the look on Eddie’s face because he immediately reaches up to pat his shoulder. “Are you okay?”</p>
<p>Eddie smiles. “Yeah, bud. Everything’s okay. I just need your help again.” He pulls out the ring. “I think it’s time to give this to Buck, but I want your help to do it.”</p>
<p>Christopher is quiet for a moment, thinking, and then he looks Eddie right in the eye and says, “Are you scared?” He pats at Eddie’s shoulder again. “You shouldn’t be scared. It’s just Buck.”</p>
<p>Eddie can’t help but laugh at that, feeling unbelievably called out by an eight year old. “Yeah, I know buddy. I just want it to be really special, since Buck is really special too.”</p>
<p>“Okay,” Chris nods, then scrunches up his face. “You need to wait until next week though.”</p>
<p>“Next week?” Eddie’s eyebrows lift. He was hoping to ask this weekend.</p>
<p>“Yeah, Buck and I are working on a project and we have to finish this weekend. So he can’t be distracted. It’s important.”</p>
<p>“Chris, I’m sure Buck can—”</p>
<p>Chris is already shaking his head. “No,” he crosses his arms resolutely. “It’s <em>important. </em>We already made plans and had to talk to a lot of people and everything.”</p>
<p>Eddie sighs, doesn’t really know what project Chris is talking about but if it’s for school and it’s really that important, than he figures waiting an extra week won’t hurt. Besides, he wants Buck to fully enjoy the post-proposal glow, not have to be worried about helping Chris finish his homework.</p>
<p>“Alright,” he says. “Next week it is.”</p>
<p>--</p>
<p>When Saturday finally rolls around, he wakes up to an empty bed and the sounds of Chris and Buck messing around in the kitchen. His clock only says seven am. This project must be really important, he muses, if it’s gotten both of them up and moving this early on a weekend.</p>
<p>He makes his way out to the kitchen and is greeted with a full breakfast of waffles, bacon, and a bowl of fresh fruit. There’s also a picnic basket on the counter, a very <em>secret </em>picnic basket if the way both Buck and Christopher yell and bat at his hands when he goes to peek inside is any indication.</p>
<p>They have a nice morning, eat breakfast and talk and watch some cartoons, and then Buck declares that it’s time to head out. Christopher cheers excitedly and goes to get ready while Eddie stares at Buck fondly from across the counter.</p>
<p>“You spoil us rotten,” he says. He walks around the counter to wrap his arms around Buck’s waist and press a kiss behind his ear. “Do I get to spoil you later?”</p>
<p>“Maybe,” Buck grins, turning to catch Eddie’s mouth in a quick kiss. “We’ve got a busy day ahead of us first.”</p>
<p>Eddie hums. “Chris still hasn’t told me what this project is even about. How much work can they be expecting a second grader to do?”</p>
<p>“Well you know Chris, he just wants to make sure everything is perfect.” Buck pulls away with a last kiss to Eddie’s cheek. “Now go get ready while I finish the dishes. And wear that grey button down a like.”</p>
<p>Eddie lifts an eyebrow and Buck grins.</p>
<p>“What? Can’t a guy ask to enjoy the view every once in a while?”</p>
<p>And Eddie’s supposes that’s fair, especially when Buck joins them in the living room half an hour later wearing a light blue shirt that brings out his eyes and jeans that make Eddie want to grab his thighs and never let go. Buck gives him a wink like he knows exactly what Eddie’s thinking and then there’s off, out the door and in Buck’s jeep, with the picnic basket settled nicely by Chris’s side.</p>
<p>Buck and Chris disappear almost as soon as they make it to the park, leaving Eddie and the picnic basket at a bench and telling him to wait just one minute, they’d be right back, really.</p>
<p>That was ten minutes ago, and Eddie is debating going after them when he hears a familiar voice call his name.</p>
<p>“I thought that was you,” Hen says, coming up beside him with Karen and the kids in tow. They look the very picture of a happy family and Eddie is so happy for them every time he sees it. “I’m assuming you’re here with Chris?”</p>
<p>Eddie nods. “And Buck. But they’ve both run off somewhere and left me to watch the food.”</p>
<p>Hen laughs. “Sounds like them. How about you come sit with us for a while? You can message Buck where you are, it’s just around the bend over there.”</p>
<p>Not needing any more convincing, Eddie stands and follows them down the path, not paying too much attention to where he’s going as he shoots Buck a quick message about his migration and to call him if they can’t find him later.</p>
<p>They round the last group of trees and the phone almost falls from Eddie’s fingers, message sent but now completely unnecessary as he sees Buck standing right in front of him, along with his family, and everyone else from the 118.</p>
<p>Buck comes closer and Eddie is somehow moving to meet him, a little on autopilot as he takes in all the smiles around them, the way Christopher is absolutely beaming at his abuela’s side.</p>
<p>“Buck,” he says. “What is all this?”</p>
<p>Buck smiles and reaches out for the picnic basket, setting it on the ground and kneeling down to rifle in its contents. Eddie feels his breath catch in his throat.</p>
<p>This can’t be—</p>
<p>It couldn’t be—</p>
<p>But it <em>is. </em>Oh god it is. And Eddie almost loses it as soon as Buck looks back up at him with those big blue eyes and a small black box in his hands.</p>
<p>“Edmundo Diaz,” he starts. “Eddie. I love you so much. I never want to spend a day without you and Chris by my side. I want to wake up with you every morning. And watch Chris grow up together and get old together and just, I want <em>this. </em>What we have right now, every day, for the rest of my life.”</p>
<p>Eddie can already feel tears pricking the corners of his eyes and then Buck is taking the ring out of the box, holding it up and taking Eddie’s hand.</p>
<p>“So, will you marry me? Please?”</p>
<p>Eddie hardly lets Buck finish before he’s hauling him up into his arms, holding him tight and burying his face in the side of his neck to just breathe him in.</p>
<p>“Of course, Buck. Of course.” He pulls back to look at him, take in that familiar smile and the crinkles by his eyes, and then he’s leaning back in to cover Buck’s mouth with his own.</p>
<p>They pull away after just a few moments, since there are a <em>lot </em>of eyes currently watching, but Eddie knows they’ll have time later. They’ll have a whole <em>lifetime </em>to love each other.</p>
<p>He holds out his hand and lets Buck slide on the ring. Then has to bite back a smile when Christopher bumps into his legs and gestures for him to lean down, whispering not-so-quietly into his ear that he brought <em>the surprise</em>just in case Eddie wanted to give it to Buck now. So they could match.</p>
<p>Eddie takes the box from Christopher’s hands and turns to Buck, narrows his eyes at the completely unsurprised way Buck smiles down at Christopher and ruffles his hair.</p>
<p>“You knew!” he accuses.</p>
<p>Buck laughs and holds up his hands. “I only knew for a few days. Chris was worried you would beat me to the punch.”</p>
<p>Eddie looks down at Chris and his son just shrugs.</p>
<p>“Bucky asked me first. We picked out a ring for you <em>way </em>sooner. I had to keep it a secret forever.” He pouts a little at that. “He said we had to wait until things were just right.”</p>
<p>That’s enough to have Eddie teetering on tears again. He picks Chris up and presses a flurry of kisses to his curls and the side of his face, not stopping until Chris is laughing and squirming and reaching for Buck to save him. Buck just joins them in the hug instead. It feels perfect, it feels like family, and just like that Eddie knows he’s home.</p>
<p>They break apart with cheers from their friends and family and Buck holds his hand out in Eddie’s direction.</p>
<p>“Well,” he grins, eyes bright. “I’m waiting.”</p>
<p>Eddie slips the ring on his finger then holds his hand, gives it a squeeze that makes Buck’s smile grow even wider.</p>
<p>“I love you, querido. So much.”</p>
<p>He thinks of how far they’ve come and all that they’ve been through. How much they’ve had to overcome to be right here.</p>
<p>They’ve made a love to be proud of, they’ve <em>worked </em>for it.</p>
<p>And he’s looking forward to working at it for the rest of their lives.</p>
<p>Together.</p>
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